ALEKS Math Placement Scores
Learn what your ALEKS percentage score means, which college math courses you qualify for, and how to retake the exam to boost your placement.
Interactive Score-to-Course Calculator
Placement & Target Course Calculator
Adjust your projected score or pick your desired college course to calculate placement tier.
Pre-Calculus (Math 140 / 115)
With a score of 65, you place safely into Pre-Calculus, Business Calculus, or Statistics at most colleges without needing developmental prerequisites.
The 5 Standard ALEKS Placement Tiers
Scores represent percentage of total mathematical domains mastered in the knowledge space.
Calculus Ready (Level 5)
Maximum placement tier. Demonstrates fluency in trigonometry, advanced functions, and analytical algebra. Direct enrollment into engineering, computer science, and mathematics majors.
Pre-Calculus (Level 4)
Advanced placement. Meets requirements for business, biological sciences, and pre-med majors. Prepares students to advance into Calculus I the following semester.
College Ready (Level 3)
Standard college-ready benchmark. Fulfills General Education math requirements for humanities, arts, and social science degrees without remedial prerequisites.
Preparatory Math (Level 2)
Pre-requisite tier. Requires one preparatory course to solidify foundational algebra skills before credit-bearing college algebra.
Developmental Math (Level 1)
Non-credit remedial math. Strongly recommended to prepare with our free topic guides and retake the ALEKS exam before college enrollment.
College Cutoff Database & Policies
Search score requirements for Montgomery College, Penn State, UIUC, ASU, and more.
College Score Cutoffs & Retake Rules
Official minimum scores required for Calculus, Pre-Calculus, and College Algebra at major universities.
| College / University | Calculus I (Math 220) | Pre-Calculus (Math 140) | College Algebra | Stats / Quantitative | Retake & Cooldown Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montgomery College(MD)Spotlight | 76+ | 61–75 | 46–60 | 42–45 | Up to 4 retakes allowed. Requires 3–5 hours in Prep & Learning Modules between attempts. |
Penn State University(PA)Spotlight | 76+ | 61–75 | 46–60 | 30–45 | Must complete 5 hours of learning module prep before second test attempt. Highest proctored score counts. |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)(IL)Spotlight | 80+ | 65–79 | 50–64 | 45–49 | Requires unproctored initial diagnostic followed by proctored assessment. 3 total attempts. |
Arizona State University (ASU)(AZ) | 76+ | 61–75 | 45–60 | 30–44 | Allows up to 3 retakes within a 1-year access window; 3 hours module study required between attempts. |
Temple University(PA) | 76+ | 61–75 | 46–60 | 38–45 | Two testing attempts per testing term. Module completion required to unlock re-testing. |
Texas A&M University(TX) | 76+ | 61–75 | 46–60 | 40–45 | MPE proctoring required for engineering and science majors. Strict 48-hour cooldown between attempts. |
Oregon State University (OSU)(OR) | 75+ | 60–74 | 46–59 | 30–45 | Up to 5 total attempts. Requires at least 3 hours in ALEKS prep modules before each retake. |
Indiana University Bloomington(IN) | 75+ | 61–74 | 45–60 | 35–44 | Test scores valid for 12 months. Mandatory 24-hour waiting period between assessments. |
University of Washington (UW)(WA) | 78+ | 65–77 | 50–64 | 40–49 | Proctored via ProctorU or campus testing center. Max 3 retakes per academic calendar. |
Purdue University(IN) | 85+ (MA 161/165) | 65–84 | 45–64 | 35–44 | Engineering students strictly need 85+ for Engineering Calculus. 5 attempts permitted. |
San Francisco State University(CA) | 76+ | 60–75 | 46–59 | 35–45 | Up to 4 retakes with mandatory study hour verification in the McGraw Hill ALEKS dashboard. |
University of Colorado Boulder(CO) | 76+ | 61–75 | 46–60 | 35–45 | Proctored via webcam. Requires 5 hours in prep module before retaking. |